Fatigue
Do not fly fatigued

The non-standard sleep transitions ultimately led to exhaustion on the final leg of the AM out-and-back, whereby I began to make mistakes necessitating error capturing by the Captain on multiple occasions.

Do not fly fatigued

Fatigue

Fatigue Self-Assessment

Bid-pack pairing fatigue modeling is based on a best case scenario. Our assessment does not consider delays due to weather or maintenance. Our pairing fatigue modeling is based on utilizing hub turn rest on any turns greater than 2+30. If a revision extends your duty time or hub turn mitigation is reduced, self-assessment for fatigue is essential. A pairing may be within acceptable fatigue limits for one person and not another. This assessment can even change for an individual from one day to the next.

How much sleep will you have had within the previous 24 hours? Everyone has different limits. But typically, if that number is less than 4 consider yourself susceptible to fatigue.

Remember. You do not have to call in fatigued to file a fatigue report. If you are reading this consider filing a fatigue report to help your fellow pilots.

Before each flight

Personal Assessment

  • How long have I been awake?

  • Quality and Recency of Sleep

  • How long will my Duty continue?

  • How much longer will I be awake?

  • What is my workload? (MX issues, WX issues,...?)

Signs of fatigue

Recognize Fatigue

CARMA Checklist

Calling in Fatigued

Crew Resource Scheduling - 1-844-495-1049

(paraphrasing CBA 12.A.9): A pilot who becomes excessively tired (fatigued) prior to or subsequent to trip shall notify CRS immediately and speak with the Duty Officer about their situation. If this happens during a trip and the decision is made to terminate the trip, the trip will end in that city. (Fatigue at domicile, during a hub turn (no legal rest between trips) is also treated as sick in the field.) 14.B.4-5
Work with the DO and Flight Services Desk (FSD) to arrange Ground Transportation and hotel for recovery.
DO NOT make travel arrangements until you have RESTED and RECOVERED.
Fatigue in the field is treated like sick in the field (Section 14.B.4-5): “Company shall provide transportation, when the pilot is able to travel, back to his base”. If in the field, after rest, work with CRS, GT and Flight Services to deadhead back to Base. After required changes, and only then, can the crewmember deviate and make personal arrangements. (Pairing will only display activity up to fatigue call, nothing after).
An email sent to your company address will have a direct link. Secondary access is available via the PFC Report link where you will find your uncompleted report generated by the Duty Officer.

Any questions or concerns please email: FedEx-FRMC@alpa.org

CBA 12.A.9

Trip Removal due to Fatigue

1. A pilot who is excessively tired prior to check-in for a trip in base, following a legal rest period… pilot will be removed from his trip and to the extent he had trip guarantee, the hours shall be eligible for make-up (GMU bank). (12.A.9.a). [Ex: B-Reserve, notified at 1300L, assigned a trip that launches at 0030 and released into rest]

2. A pilot who is excessively tired prior to actual check-in for a trip in base, without a legal rest period… pilot will be removed from his trip, and that trip will be placed into Sick Leave status, as provided in Section 14.B.5. [Ex: Hub turning, call in fatigued for next trip]

3. A pilot who becomes excessively tired subsequent to trip check-in shall notify CRS immediately and talk to the Duty Officer about (their) situation. Depending on the pilot’s situation and the DO’s assessment, one of the following alternatives shall be enlisted to address the issue:

a. The pilot may be given a legal rest period, schedule will be revised to continue.

b. Pilot’s current trip may be revised to include some alternative duty assignment.

c. Pilot’s trip concludes, put in sick for remainder of trip.

Compensation due to Fatigue After Trip Check-in (12.A.9.g)

The Fatigue Event Review Committee (FERC. Consists of 2 FedEx Company employees and 2 ALPA members) meets and discusses all pilot fatigue calls made subsequent to actual trip check-in, with sick bank deduction. The FERC will evaluate the circumstances surrounding the fatigue call and will attempt to reach a consensus concerning compensation for the trip (sick-bank reimbursement). We are at roughly 95% sick-bank reimbursement and 100% pay coverage.

Example 1 (No Reimbursement): Pilot calls in fatigued for hub turn trip after the inbound flight is delayed 1 hour due to maintenance. The pilot mentions in his fatigue report narrative that he had difficulty sleeping due to a head cold he’s been fighting for a couple of days. FERC decides: No Reimbursement of Sick Bank.

Example 2 (Reimbursement): Pilot was scheduled for a single leg (XXX-IND) duty period, had some difficulty resting in XXX but knew he only had the one leg that night. Upon arrival into IND, he was advised that the trip had been revised to operate an additional leg (IND-XXX) in the same duty period. Knowing that he had difficulty resting in XXX and would not have an opportunity to nap in IND prior to the additional leg, he felt unsafe to continue and called in fatigue. FERC decides: Reimbursement of Sick Bank.

There are some cases where the sick bank is not charged at all. For example, if a pilot is into overage (already operating beyond the original end time of the trip) and calls in fatigue, the sick bank is not charged for the remainder of that trip. The pilot will stop earning overage at the time of the fatigue call.

12.C.5.b.ii.(Domestic) or 12.D.6.c.(International)

Extension beyond Operational Duty Limits

In the event of a trip delay, revision or operational emergency that extends, or would extend, a pilot beyond the operational limitations, a pilot who becomes excessively tired shall notify CRS immediately and then speak to the Duty Officer about his situation. Depending on the pilot’s situation and the Duty Officer’s assessment, one of the following alternatives shall be enlisted to address the issue:

(a) Revise duty within operational limits.

OR

(b) Legal rest.

If you determine you require more rest than a legal rest period, only then can the Company remove you from the balance of your trip and be placed in sick leave status. This is substantially different than how a Fatigue Call as defined in (12.A.9) is handled.

If you have any issues with how your duty extension is handled please contact the Fatigue Committee.